Prosecutors Indict Former Special Staffer Gus Alex for Rp 93 Billion Personal Enrichment

Former Special Staffer to the Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Gus Alex, has been indicted for allegedly enriching himself by Rp 93.42 billion. This is related to the alleged corruption case involving Indonesia’s Hajj quota for the years 2023-2024.

Public prosecutor Fahmi Idris from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that the flow of funds consisted of 5.23 million US dollars, or approximately Rp 93.09 billion, and Rp 330 million. ‘The money enjoyed originated from fees for accelerating the implementation of the Hajj pilgrimage,’ the prosecutor said while reading the indictment at the Jakarta Central Corruption Court on Tuesday (12/8/2026).

The prosecutor detailed that the flow of funds included a fee for accelerating the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage amounting to 75,000 US dollars from Nur Faidzin, an operational staff member of PT Pesona Mozaik. Furthermore, fees for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage totalled 5.16 million US dollars and Rp 330 million from several parties. These parties included Asrul Azid Taba, who provided 436,000 US dollars and Rp 230 million; Ismail Adham, who provided 30,000 US dollars; Umar Bakadam, who provided Rp 100 million; Budi Darmawan, who provided 2.39 million US dollars; and Ridwan Kurniawan, who provided 2.3 million US dollars. For his actions, Gus Alex is charged with causing state losses totalling Rp 622.09 billion.